Improvement in portable fences



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS IV. OWENS, OF GRANVILLE, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN PORTABLE FENCES.

Specieation forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,616, dated June 2, 1874; application filed November 24, 1873.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS W. OWENS, of Granville, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Felices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The nature ot' lny invention consists in the construction and arrangement ot' a rail-andpost fence, as will be hereinafter more fully Set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a front view ot' a fence-panel, and Fig. 2 is anend view ot` the same.

The posts which I use in the construction of my fence are each composed of a sill-piece, A, having two upright parallel posts, B B, near the center, and placed such a distance apart that the rails forming the panels will j ust tit between them. The uprights B B are connected at the top by a cross-bar, O', and a short distance below the saine by a cross-bar, C, on each side. 'Ihese latter cross-bars O O project beyond the nprights, and between their ends on each side is fastened the upper end of a brace, D, the lower end of which is secured to the sill A near the end.

I am fully aware that a fence-post has been constructed substantially in the same manner as above` described; hence I lay no specific claim to the same only in so far as it forms a necessary element in the combination of my fence. l

Each fence-panel is constructed of two series of horizontal rails, E E, one end of each series of rails being secured to an upright or batten, I. The other ends of the rails ot each series are beveled or wedge-shaped, and inserted alternately from opposite sides between the uprights B B, and filling the space be tween the sill A and cross-bars O C. The top rail E of each series enters the space between said cross-bars and the top cross-bar O. d represents a wedge or wedge-shaped pin inserted between 011e of the uprights B and the rails E E', to hold said rails tight in the fencepost. As the timber shrinks by exposure to the weather, this wedge or wedge-shaped pin l settles down, and thus automatically tightens the rails in the post.

The rails E E may be kept tight in the same manner. The end battens or uprights I I of adjoining panels may be fastened together by bolts or any other suitable means.

In turning` corners, the loose ends of the two series of rails E E of my panel are inserted alternately at an angle from the same side of the fence-post; and in like manner a worm or zigzag fence may be put up.

By this construct-ion offence it can be easily and quickly put up and taken down when desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The tencepanel described, consisting of two series of horizontal rails, E E, having their outer ends secured to the battens or uprights I I, as described, and their inner ends inserted in the fence-post A B O D, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown I aix my signature in presence ,of two witnesses.

THOS. W. OWENS.

Titnesses C. B. FANLEY, A. V. GEST. 

